#YouAsked Covid-19 Is Covid-19 in fact a bacterial infection? Source World Health Organization Short answer Is Covid-19 in fact a bacterial infection? No, Covid-19 is not caused by bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, Covid-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus – a respiratory virus that is spread by droplets from an infected person. Viruses and bacteria differ in a number of ways. Bacteria are “single-celled micr... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is it true that Covid-19 has been linked to strokes? Source New England Journal of Medicine Short answer Is it true that Covid-19 has been linked to strokes? Researchers are still learning about the possible complications of Covid-19. A study of 32 patients with both Covid-19 and strokes in New York found that they tended to be younger than stroke patients who didn’t have Covid-19 and that their strokes were more severe. They also had higher l... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is Covid-19 found in semen? Source JAMA Network Open Short answer Is Covid-19 found in semen? According to research published in the online journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA Network Open, traces of the new coronavirus were found in the semen of six men with Covid-19. This small study took place at China’s Shangqiu Municipal Hospital and involved 38 men – some who were in ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? Source Report on weekly deaths in South Africa (South African Medical Research Council) Short answer Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? The Burden of Disease Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council has been using information from the National Population Register and historical data from 2018 and 2019 to estimate the number of deaths that could be expected during 2020. They compare it with deaths registered during... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 How and where can I get individual financial or food assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic? Source Nigerian government Short answer How and where can I get individual financial or food assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic? In an address about the pandemic on 29 March, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari said conditional cash transfers for the next two months would be paid to “the most vulnerable in society” immediately. But it is not possible to apply for this assistance as community leaders and groups help to det... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsoring Africa Check? Source Africa Check partners Short answer Is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsoring Africa Check? The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a funder of Africa Check’s work, having provided 11% of our income in 2019. As a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, Africa Check subscribes to a code of principles. According to the code, signatories should ensure that “funders have n... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did the first coronavirus vaccine candidate die? Source Dr Elisa Granato Short answer Did the first coronavirus vaccine candidate die? Dr Elisa Granato, a postdoctoral researcher in the Oxford’s zoology department, received one of the first two jabs administered at the start of a Covid-19 vaccine trial at the University of Oxford. She has denied reports of her death.More: ‘I’m very much alive.’ No, first volunteer in UK Cov... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extended Covid-19 lockdown? Source Nigerian president’s speech Short answer Did Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extended Covid-19 lockdown? President Muhammadu Buhari announced a two-week extension of the lockdown on 13 April. At no point during the speech did he say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extension. More: Was President Buhari Smug Over the Two-Week Extension to the Lockdown? ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Source Barack Obama’s office Short answer Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Barack Obama’s office denied a claim, contained in a WhatsApp message, that the former US president had warned Africans against the use of “toxic” Covid-19 vaccines. Obama’s office said he had not made any statements about coronavirus vaccines and that he was pro-vaccination. Mo... Back Full answer